Bookaholic's Reviews

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

2015-09-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Stand alone or series: 2nd book in a trilogy

Source: Purchased by me

Format: Print

Summary

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.
But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

Review

This book was actually pretty awesome. For those who have read my review for the first book, you know that I pretty much hated it. Well, this book was completely different.

Belly and the boys are faced with a few challenges in this book. After working together to try and fix them, something unexpected happens and trust me, you will be shocked.

Jenny Han's writing style will keep you hooked. I wasn't fed up with the the relationship between Belly and Conrad, even though I thought eventually, I would be. I have always been more of a fan of Jeremiah than Conrad, so obviously I loved this book more. This book is definitely equivalent of a roller coaster

I loved this book and I am happy to say that I can't wait to pick up book number three.

Page count: 275 pages

Starred rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6584188-it-s-not-summer-without-you?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Summer-Without-You/dp/1416995560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442276408&sr=1-1&keywords=its+not+summer+without+you

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

2015-09-14T20:18:00.000-04:00

Stand alone or series: First in a trilogy

Source: Purchased by me

Format: Print

Summary

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Review

There was so much about this book that bothered me, and I almost gave up on it several times. I think the thing that bothered me most though was the Belly (horrible nickname by the way), the protagonist.

It bothered me when Jeremiah and Belly overheard a conversation between their mothers about Suzanne's breast cancer and Belly had no clue how to comfort him, all she could think of saying was "I hope your mom doesn't lose a boob." Really? This is why a lot of people hate YA. Jenny Han had so many opportunities to show character growth, but she never took advantage of it.

The one thing that this book had going for it was that it got me out of my reading slump. Unfortunately, I have already bought this trilogy together (before reading the first) so I will probably force myself to read the last two soon.

Page count: 276 pages

Starred Rating: 2.5 stars

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5821978-the-summer-i-turned-pretty?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Summer-I-Turned-Pretty/dp/1416968296/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442273713&sr=8-1&keywords=the+summer+i+turned+pretty

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian

2015-08-29T17:42:00.001-04:00

Stand alone or series: Stand alone

Source: Received this from Harperteen for review

Format: ARC (Comes out 9/1/15)

Review

First off I would like to thank HarperTeen for sending me this book for review. As always, my thoughts are 100% MINE also, all links will be down below.

Cut Both Ways was one of my most anticipated books of the year. So when I had the chance to review it I jumped at the chance and I was SO happy that I got a arc, that’s about where the good in this experience ends. Grab some popcorn kiddos because it is time for a rant.

1) Will felt so disconnected from everything, he had no emotion, even when something big happened. It made the book extremely boring.

2) The author was trying too hard to sound like a male narrator. This book just had so many inappropriate and unneeded scenes.

3) This book sets horrible examples. Will has sex numerous times throughout the book and does he use protection once? Nope. If your going to include sex in a YOUNG ADULT book, you should push the need for safe sex. Will doesn’t have to deal with any consequences after he had unprotected sex, and that is not always true in real life and teens need to realize that.

The only good thing I have to say about this book is that it was a quick read. I read it in 2 hours. Other than that, I don't recommend this book.

Page Count: 352 pages

Starred Rating: 1.5 Stars

Publisher: HarperTeen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23871110-cut-both-ways

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062349880

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi

2015-08-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone

Source: Received from Sourcebooks for review

Format: ARC (Comes out 8/4/15)

Summary

It’s all Ryden’s fault. If he hadn’t gotten Meg pregnant, she would have never stopped her chemo treatments and would still be alive. Instead, he’s failing fatherhood one dirty diaper at a time. And it’s not like he’s had time to grieve while struggling to care for their infant daughter, start his senior year, and earn the soccer scholarship he needs to go to college.

The one person who makes Ryden feel like his old self is Joni. She’s fun and energetic—and doesn’t know he has a baby. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to keep his two worlds separate. Finding one of Meg’s journals only stirs up old emotions, and Ryden’s convinced Meg left other notebooks for him to find, some message to help his new life make sense. But how is he going to have a future if he can’t let go of the past?

Review

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Sourcebooks for review. As always, all opinions are mine.

One of the things I liked about What You Left Behind is that right from the start I realized that this book isn't like the others in the "teen pregnancy" genre. Usually books about teenage pregnancy follow a teenage girl, who gets pregnant and then has to cope with it throughout the story. Well, this book is nothing like that.

Another thing I liked was how addictive my reading experience was while reading this book. Prior to reading this, I was in a reading slump. For two weeks I would pick up a book, not being able to concentrate on it then I would put it down. But as soon as I opened my package I started this book and I didn't put it down for the three hours it took me to finish it.

One of the things that really bothered me was the main character Ryden. He was selfish, stupid and self absorbed. He would whine to his mom about not being able to go soccer practice because he was irresponsible and became a father even before he took his SAT's.

Besides the fact that I hated Ryden, overall I really enjoyed this book. And I am sure I will be buying a finished copy when it is released August 4th 2015.

Page Count: 368 Pages

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/What-Left-Behind-Jessica-Verdi

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

2015-07-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: First book in a planned trilogy

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are destined for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever...

Layken is left second-guessing the relationship whilst Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world, and the lives of those who depend upon them the most...

Review

If you've read my past review for Slammed (which will be linked below) you know that I absolutely loved it. When I finished Slammed I was surprised to learn that there was a sequel and I was a little hesitant. I was hesitant because Slammed worked so well as a stand alone and I thought that a sequel would just drag it on. And boy am I glad I was wrong.

I loved all of it. I loved the relationships, poetry, and the break-up.

I think Kiersten is my favorite character in this book. She is just so smart and witty and brutally honest.

Even though the break-up broke my heart and made me so sad I'm glad Hoover put it in this book because it shows that Layken and Will aren't a perfect couple and I think that a lot of people, especially teens need to read about that because when they read a lot of other books that have "perfect" relationships, they grow up and expect their partner to be perfect when no relationship is perfect and those types of books put the wrong idea into their heads.

Point of Retreat is amazing just like Hoover's other books. I have so much love for this book, for Layken, Will, Kiersten, Eddie and the other characters who's names I don't remember (I read a lot of books it's hard to remember anything about them).

I'm going to end this review with some of my favorite quotes from Point of Retreat:

"A guy can tell a girl he's in love with her until he's blue in the face. Words don't mean anything to a woman when her head's full of doubt. You have to show her."

“If I were a carpenter, I would build you a window to my soul. But I would leave that window shut and locked, so that every time you tried to look through it all you would see is your own reflection. You would see that my soul is a reflection of you.”

“My heart pounds against my chest. Not because I'm nervous. Not even because I want her worse that I've ever wanted her before. It's pounding against my chest because I realize I've never been so sure about the rest of my life than I am in this moment. This girl is the rest of my life.”

“Okay. Would you rather I looked like Hugh Jackman or George Clooney?”
“Johnny Depp,” she says.

She answers a little too fast for my comfort. “What the hell, Lake? You’re supposed to say Will! You’re supposed to say you want me to look like me!”

“But you weren't one of the options,” she says.

“Neither was Johnny Depp!”

Page Count: 215 pages

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Atria Books

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Point-Retreat

Goodreads status updates

marked as:	to-read
	marked as:	currently-reading
	page 141		46.0%	"About half way through and loving it! I think more than Slammed!"

	page 141		46.0%	"Wait.How.What?"

marked as: read

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

The Lightning thief by Rick Riordian

2015-07-20T15:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: First book in a five book series

Source: I received this as a gift from a friend

Format: Print

Summary

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Review

Most people know by now that the Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the most popular children's series of all time. And I've always wanted to start this series after learning that there was a book after I saw the horrible movie back in 2010.

Even though the movie was horrible I heard that the book was really great and very well loved by many. In the past I've tried to read it but never finished the book. I think this is partly because it's middle grade (I don't really like middle grade, don't have anything against it, I just don't really enjoy it) and that it contains a lot of Greek mythology which I don't really understand.

But this month I buckled down and committed myself to reading it and I'm glad I did.

Something I really enjoyed about this book was the characters. I loved how they wasn't just cliche characters. They were funny, kick-butt, and really quirky.

If you are a fan of Fantasy, quirky characters and a lot of sarcastic humor then I recommend this book to you.

Page count: 337 pages

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Thief

marked as:	to-read
marked as:	currently-reading
page 118		31.0%	"I DNF'd this book a couple of months ago. I think it was due to all the hype and i just wasnt enjoying it.But today i got the whole series and i tried picking this up again and i am actually really enjoying it"
page 203		53.0%	"Okay...i think im loving this"
marked as:	read

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

2015-07-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: First book in a planned duology

Source: Purchased by me

Format: Print and Audio book

Summary

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.

Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.

Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.

And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.

Review

Warning: This book deals with subjects such as depression, self harm, suicide and rape

So this was my first Ellen Hopkins book. I've always wanted to read one of her works but I was always intimidated to read them because I've never read a novel in verse. But I'm really glad that I decided to finally pick something by her up.

One of the things I really loved was that Ellen Hopkins never strayed from important and potentially touchy topics. Because she did this, Impulse brings awareness to mental health, which sadly a lot of people choose to ignore.

One of the things I didn't particularly love about this book is the multiple POV's. Usually I would love this aspect but I found it really hard to tell the narrators apart. A lot of times I had to go to the beginning of the chapter to remind myself who's narrative I was reading from.

Most people say in their reviews what age they think should be able to read this book but personally I think that books shouldn't be filtered by age they should be filtered by the maturity of the reader. So if you can handle the topics like rape, self harm, depression, suicide and eating disorders I would recommend this book for you. If it's your type of book of course.

Page count: 667 pages

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Impulse

Goodreads status updates

marked as:	to-read
	marked as:	currently-reading
	page 131		19.0%
	page 131		19.0%
	marked as:	to-read
	marked as:	currently-reading
	page 464		69.0%
	page 533		80.0%	"Listening to the audiobook but thinking about reading the rest.im loving this book"
	marked as:	read
	page 533		80.0%	"This book is probably the most beautiful book I have ever read. 15 out of 5 stars"

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

A Work In Progress by Connor Franta

2015-07-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Stand alone (it's a memoir)

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

In this intimate memoir of life beyond the camera, Connor Franta shares the lessons he has learned on his journey from small-town boy to Internet sensation so far.

Here, Connor offers a look at his Midwestern upbringing as one of four children in the home and one of five in the classroom; his struggles with identity, body image and his decision to finally pursue his creative and artistic passions in his early twenties, setting up his thrilling career as a YouTube personality, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and tastemaker.

Exploring his past with insight and humor, his present with humility, and his future with hope, Connor reveals his private struggles while providing heartfelt words of wisdom for young adults. His words will resonate with anyone coming of age in the digital era, but at the core is a timeless message for people of all ages: don't be afraid to be yourself and to go after what you truly want.

This full-color collection includes photography and childhood clippings provided by Connor and is a must-have for anyone inspired by his journey.

Review

First of all I feel like I need to point out that I really like Connor Franta and I love his YouTube Channel. So you would imagine that I would really love this book, me too but unfortunately I was wrong.

The first thing I noticed about this book was the beautiful artwork and pictures in this novel. They are very artistic and they really give incite on who Connor is and what his passions are.

One of the reasons A Work In Progress was disappointing is because I couldn't connect with it at all. Connor is a YouTube sensation, millionaire and a business mobile so you can probably see why I couldn't connect with it.

I also found some of the entries/chapters to be boring. I found myself skipping chapters because I didn't really care about that subject so it turned out I only read about 10 of the chapters.

I recommend this book to fans of Connor Franta or for people just looking for a decent memoir to read.

Page count: 212 pages

Starred Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Atria/Keywords Press

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/a-work-in-progress

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Work-Progress

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

2015-06-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

Stand alone or series: A stand alone. Yes you heard me correct, a stand alone

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

730. That's how many days I've been trapped.

18. That's how many days I have left to find a way out.

DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible....

JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister....

MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window.....

In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out.

Review

The Walled City was a impulse buy, or a impulse checkout I guess you could say (I checked it out at a public library). It was the first week it came out (which explains why I didn't hear much about it), and this book was one of the best impulse buys/checkouts I've experienced. And here are the reasons why.

One of the things I really loved about this book is how honest it is. It doesn't stray away from very important and sometimes very touchy topics , such as human trafficking and very, very brutal violence. And that is important because this book is based on a real place in Hong Kong and it really needs awareness brought to it.

Another thing I liked was the writing. Ryan Graudin's writing really immersed me in the world and I felt like I was actually there. The characters were real people and they didn't have magical powers or super senses. They were just like regular people and they still came out on top.

And lastly, I really loved how this book was a stand alone. Now these days, publishers are trying to wring out as much money as they can by making sequels to books that would work perfectly as a stand alone.

I would have rated this five stars but I gave it 4 because of two reasons, the first reason was the multiple POV's. Even though I liked seeing parts of the city through diffrent character's eyes, the character's narratives were not very distinctive and a number of times I had to flip back to the start of a chapter to remind myself of who's narrative I was reading and of course that caused a lot of confusion.

The second thing I didn't like was the length of the book. This book is 432 pages long and I think it could have easily been about 250 pages. And at about the 350 mark I found myself skimming the pages from time to time, which took a lot of the magic away from my reading experience.

But overall The Walled City is very action packed and will make you feel so many things. I highly recommend it.

Page count: 432 pages

Starred rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Little, Brown books for Young Readers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18196040-the-walled-city

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Walled-City-Ryan-Graudin/dp/031640506X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1434246313

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead (Spoiler review)

2015-06-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Sixth and final book in the Bloodlines series

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

THEY WILL BE TESTED

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

Review

The Ruby Circle was very anticipated for me. The last book in the Vampire Academy series Last Sacrifice was my favorite book in that series, so you could understand that I expected to love this all the same but I didn't, but that still doesn't mean I still didn't enjoy it.

The length of this book was simply just too short. This was only 348 pages, the shortest of all of the books in the series. And I personally would have LOVED if it was about 600 pages. Because it was so short, I felt like the events in the end were too rushed and I felt like not much happened in this book.

Now that we have all the bad crap out of the way it is now time for me to gush. This might get a little crazy.

One thing I really loved was that Rose and Dimitri was in the majority of this book. It was nice to see our characters kick butt all together and I loved that so much. I am a little dissapointed that Christian didn't show up at all in this book but I'm hoping that we will get to see a lot more of him in the future if Richelle Mead writes about life at court because of course I want more of this world.

Another thing I loved was the epilogue!! It was amazing to see Adrian and Sydney as parents to Declan and seeing the relationship between Jill and Eddie.

While I was sad to leave this world, I am so excited to see what will come next!

Page Count: 348 pages

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Razorbill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709528-the-ruby-circle

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Circle-Bloodlines-Novel/dp/159514322X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434250481&sr=1-1&keywords=the+ruby+circle

Goodreads status updates

marked as:	currently-reading
		25.0%	"can't wait to finish this series!"
		50.0%	"Don't think I will like this as much as the others, maybe a 4 star rating but we will see"
marked as:	read

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Lola Carlyle's 12 Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman

2015-06-16T19:58:00.000-04:00

Stand alone or series: Stand alone

Source: Sent to me for review from Entangled Teen

Publication date: May 5th, 2015

Summary

Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend, Sydney, calls to rave about her stay at a posh Malibu rehab and reveals that the love of Lola's life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, she knows what she has to do. Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola arrives at Sunrise Rehab intent solely on finding Wade, saving him from himself, and-naturally-making him fall in love with her...only to discover she's actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And talk about her issues with her parents, and with herself. Plus she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive mentor, Adam, who's determined to thwart her at every turn.

Oh, and Sydney? She's gone.

Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she's actually got a lot to overcome...if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.

Review

First of all I would like to thank Entangled Teen for sponsoring this review and for sending me this book for review. As always, this review is 100% honest.

When I got Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance I expected to hate it. I mean, it's about a girl who fakes her way into rehab to get closer to a boy. That sounds sounds really immature and stupid right?

Lola was not a likable character at first. She did so many horrible things throughout the beginning and had such a bad attitude that she had a whole lot to make up for by the end of the book. I honestly think that a lot of people will stop reading it because of her attitude but she does get better.

For most of the book, Lola was so annoying. She was so annoying that I almost stopped reading the book and I honestly would have if I haven't received it for review.

The love aspect of the read was incredibly predictable but no less enjoyable. The whole Wade thing was just pointless. I didn't like him at all and I felt like he took advantage of Lola.

All in all this read was enjoyable for me. The main character does make up for her behavior and I couldn't help but love her again. There were some great messages involved and some lovely characters that made me smile and feel for them.

Page Count: 304 Pages

Starred Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carlyles-12-Step-Romance

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

2015-06-15T15:46:00.000-04:00

Stand alone or series: First book in a planned duology

Source: Sent to me for review from Scholastic

Format: Print

Summary

Time is slipping away....

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Review

First of all I would like to thank Scholastic for sponsoring this review and for also sending me this book for review. As always this review is 100% honest.

When I found out that I could receive Fire & Flood for review I was ecstatic. I have heard really great things about this book and I've also heard it being described as Pokemon and The Hunger Games combined. If that doesn't sound freaking awesome I don't know what does.

I started reading this book about 10 minutes after I got it in the mail and I flew through it in just a day. The strange thing is, I don't really have a lot of feelings towards this book. I know that I really enjoyed it I just can't put my finger on what I enjoyed about it.

I'm excited to see how the rest of the race goes in the sequel Salt & Stone!!

This is a really good book though, maybe I will update my review when I can finally get my thoughts put together.

Page Count: 305 pages

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Scholastic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Flood-Victoria-Scott

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

2015-06-13T20:33:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: First book in the Slammed trilogy

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

Layken's father died suddenly, leaving her to gather every ounce of strength to be a pillar for her family, in order to prevent their world from falling apart. Now her life is taking another unexpected turn...

Layken's mother gets a job which leads to an unwanted move across the country. However, a new home means new neighbours... and Layken's new neighbour is the very attractive Will Cooper.

Will has an intriguing passion for slam poetry, and a matching passion for life. The two feel an irresistible attraction but are rocked to the core when a shocking revelation brings their romance to a screeching halt. Layken and Will must find a way to fight the forces that threaten to tear them apart...or learn to live without each other.

Review

Slammed is Colleen Hoover's first book (originally self published but later on Colleen Hoover was signed on with Simon and Schuster) and I could honestly not tell that this was her first novel because personally I think this is one of the best literary works of all time.

I read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover around January of last year and I absolutely loved it. I have been wanting to start another book by her but I just never had the chance to. But one day I was browsing my To-read shelf on Goodreads and I saw this one. I was a little wary about it because it is about slam poetry and I personally am not a big fan of it.To put it simple, this book blew me away.

Colleen Hoover has never had any trouble immersing me into the world she has created, and I am always rooting for her characters and I'm wanting them to succeed in everything they do. While Slammed is a very sad story I think readers will still enjoy this book even if they don't exactly like quote on quote 'sad' books because Hoover also does a great job of adding a lot of lightheartedness and really likable characters.

Slammed is now one of my favorite books of all time. Go read it. Now.

Page count: 321 pages

Starred rating: 5 out of 5 stars (obviously)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15803858-slammed

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Slammed-Novel-Colleen-Hoover/dp/1476715904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433467746&sr=8-1&keywords=slammed&pebp=1433467838605&perid=1ZDPVRK6AP9ARCQBMHJ7

Goodreads status updates

08/16	marked as:	to-read
05/07	marked as:	currently-reading
05/07	page 21		6.0%	"Don't know how I feel about it.... but i'm sure i'm going to love it because come on its freaking Colleen Hoover"
05/07	page 234		72.0%	"How is colleen hoover human?? Hope to finish this tonight"
05/07	marked as:	read
05/07	page 234		72.0%	"WHY MUST COLLEEN HOOVER DO THIS TO ME"

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

2015-06-13T20:32:00.002-04:00

Stand alone or series: First book in the Bloodlines series

Source: Public library

Format: Print

WARNING! THE SUMMARY OF THIS BOOK AND MY REVIEW WILL SPOIL YOU ON THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES. COME BACK AFTER READING THAT SERIES!!

Summary

The first book in Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire academy series so addictive--this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Review

If you didn't already know, I LOVE the Vampire Academy series. So it would make since that I would be extremely excited to read Bloodlines right? Well, it didn't disappoint.

Bloodlines takes place almost right after the events of the last Vampire Academy book Last Sacrifice. And I loved this because the characters didn't change because of it being 10 years in the future.

Sydney really annoyed me in this book. She was always like "Oh poor me, I have to be around morioi all the time" at least it's not stragoi Sydney. But I know that she will obviously become better as the books go on.

And I loved the side characters. I love how they weren't just pushed to the side and I loved how they all got the screen time they deserved. I definitely see something going on between Jill and Eddie.

I can't finish this review without talking about Adrian. I will be the first to say that I didn't love him in the Vampire Academy as much as everyone else did but in BloodLines I started to love and respect him as a character. He is just so complex and I'm really excited to learn more about him and a little but more about his past in the later books.

Page count: 421 pages

Starred rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Razorbill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709527-bloodlines?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bloodlines-Richelle-Mead/dp/1595144730/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434240944&sr=1-1&keywords=bloodlines

Goodreads status updates

marked as:	to-read
marked as:	currently-reading
page 29		6.0%
page 300		71.0%	"I haven't read this frequently in a while,while I'm not liking bloodlines as much as Vampire Academy I am still loving it and I can't put it down.Show finish by tomorrow I already have the sequel on my shelf all ready to go"
marked as:	read

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Alive by Chandler Baker

2015-06-02T22:45:00.003-04:00

Stand Alone or series: Stand alone

Source: Sent to me for review from Disney-Hyperion

Format: Print

Publication date: June 6th,2015

Summary

Stella Cross's heart is poisoned.

After years on the transplant waiting list, she's running out of hope that she'll ever see her eighteenth birthday. Then, miraculously, Stella receives the transplant she needs to survive.

Determined to embrace everything she came so close to losing, Stella throws herself into her new life. But her recovery is marred by strange side effects: Nightmares. Hallucinations. A recurring pain that flares every day at the exact same moment. Then Stella meets Levi Zin, the new boy on everyone's radar at her Seattle prep school. Stella has never felt more drawn to anyone in her life, and soon she and Levi are inseparable.

Stella is convinced that Levi is her soul mate. Why else would she literally ache for him when they are apart?

After all, the heart never lies...does it?

Review

First of all I would like to say thank you so very much to Disney-Hyperion for sending me this book for review and also for sponsoring this review!

This book really fell flat for me. When I got it in the mail I was very pleased because this book's synopsis really gripped me and I thought I was going to love it, boy was I wrong.

One of the things I didn't love about this book was the characters. They were just so bland and boring. The character I hated the most was Stella (the main character). She was so clingy and whiny.She blew off her friends for a boy that she literally met five minutes ago. I honestly thing Edward and Bella are more complex than this cast of characters.

Another thing that fell short me was the "climax". While reading this book I was just so bored because nothing really happened until about page 240. And when something mildly interesting happened it still wasn't very good.

Page Count: 368 pages

Starred Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Once again thank you Disney for sending me this book!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23268484-alive

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alive-Chandler-Baker/dp/1484706838/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433299471&sr=1-3&keywords=alive

Goodreads status updates

05/28	marked as:	currently-reading
05/28	page 107		29.0%	"Got this ARC in the mail yesterday from Disney -Hyperion. I dont really know how i feel about it yet."
05/29	page 205		55.0%	"I honestly dont have any feelings towards this book...its weird because i can't really tell if i like it or not"
05/30	marked as:	Read

Last Sacrifice By Richelle Mead

2015-05-26T12:45:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: 6th and final book in the Vampire Academy series

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is; when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

Review

I don't know what it is about Mead's writing style and the world she has created, but I get completely sucked into the story. This particular vampire world is so unique, and I loved it. I just could not draw myself away. There is so much that goes on in the story, leaving no room for boring scenes.

Rose disappointed me a little bit in this book. Don't get me wrong, I love Rose. She is an incredible strong and ballsy character who is willing to take insane risks and sacrifice herself for others, however her relationship with Dimitri in this book brought out a side of Rose that I cannot commend. The main action I am referring to (which I will not explain, so as not to spoil the story) resulted in me losing some respect for Rose. I still think she is an amazing character, but what she did was unfair to one party, which I love.

I loved Lissa's development in this book. After having Rose taken away from her and put into a very dangerous position, Lissa really grows a backbone and works toward finding a solution to Rose's situation. She is really strong throughout this book, and her intellect shines through as well, in the challenges she faces.

The ending was good and bad. I liked where Rose had ended up, but I feel it was a little sugar-coated on her side, and then a lot of the side characters were ignored. I really want to know what happened to everyone else! And I guess that is a main reason for me wanting to get into Bloodlines (Which I am reading right now).

Page Count: 594 Pages

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: RazorBill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6527740-last-sacrifice?from_search=true

Buy The Book: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Sacrifice-Vampire-Academy-Book/dp/1595144404/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427822179&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=last+sacrice

Goodreads status updates

03/29	marked as:	currently-reading
03/29	page 98		16.0%	"I've been spoiled on Spoiler Alert that jailbate. Is Lissa's half sister so that kind of ruined that part but I can't wait to follow her and Sydney and Adrian in the bloodlines series and I'm really really excited to find out who killed the Queen B,Tatiana.Hoping to finish this book Friday and start bloodlines very soon"
03/29	page 163		27.0%
03/30	page 425		71.0%	"I don't think I've read this much in this short of a period in a while.This book is of course giving me all of the feels and while I'm really excited to finish this book I'm also terrified to leave these characters.im hoping to finish this book tonight or maybe I will just try to spread it out until tomorrow we will just have to see "
03/30	marked as:	read

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

April 2015 Wrap-Up

2015-05-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

This is a wrap up of all the books I've read in April! I had a really great reading month; I read 15 books and I’m really happy with that. I won’t be going into too much detail since there is so much to cover. Some books I have full-length reviews on, and the ones I have I will link down below.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines #2)

The Golden Lily is the second book in the Bloodlines series.While I didn't love Bloodlines I liked this one a lot better.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709523-the-golden-lily

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Lily-Bloodlines-Novel/dp/1595146024/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430415490&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=the+golden+loly

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines #3)

The Indigo Spell is the third book in the Bloodlines series, and I absolutely loved it. I loved how it merged magic into it as well.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709526-the-indigo-spell

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Indigo-Spell-Bloodlines-Novel/dp/159514613X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430415596&sr=8-1&keywords=The+indigo+spell

None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

Okay, I admit it, I wasn't going to read this because it was about something I don’t know too much about. However, I got the opportunity and I remembered that one of my goals this year was to read more diverse books. So, I started the book and LOVED it.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22896551-none-of-the-above?from_search=true&search_version=service

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/None-Above-I-W-Gregorio/dp/0062335316/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430497243&sr=8-1&keywords=none+of+the+above

Life Before Legend by Marie Lu

I really liked this. I really loved Day’s story, but I wasn't really a big fan of June’s. However, overall I think it would be a really great read if you are a fan of the Legend trilogy.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17235347-life-before-legend?from_search=true&search_version=service

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Before-Legend-Stories-Criminal-ebook/dp/B009KUWWD4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430497481&sr=1-1&keywords=life+before+legend

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

I don't really have much to say about this. I just didn't really like it.

Starred Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331518-fracture-me?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fracture-Me-Shatter-Book-ebook/dp/B00BATNREQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430497777&sr=1-1&keywords=fracture+me

Awakening by Shannon Duffy

I received this from Entangled Teen, and in exchange I'll give it an honest review.

I really loved this book, I’m not going to say much about it because I have a (spoiler free) review which you can check out at the link below.

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22514518-awakening?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Shannon-Duffy/dp/1622665228/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430498181&sr=1-1&keywords=awakening+shannon+duffy

Review: http://bookaholicsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/04/awakening-by-shannon-duffy.html

Prodigy by Marie Lu (Legend #2)

I've had a tough time with Prodigy. I started it about two years ago and I was really loving it, then in the middle it kind of got boring so I stopped reading it and then I had to return it to the library.

Then, last December I bought the Legend box set and I picked it up again, got bored and then I put it down once again. And then this month I made myself power through it so I can finish the trilogy.

I didn't love it as much as Legend, but I didn’t despise it.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Legend-Novel-Marie-Lu/dp/0142427551/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430498561&sr=1-1&keywords=prodigy+marie+lu

Review: http://bookaholicsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/04/prodigy-by-marie-lu.html

Champion by Marie Lu (Legend #3)

So when I got to Champion, I didn't have very high expectations, but I absolutely LOVED it. I think it is one of my favorites, if not my favorite series finale, and that end made me want so much more!

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14290364-champion?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Legend-Novel-Marie-Lu/dp/014751228X/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EQHV5WZ7NHSN7XEEJ7A

Altered by Jennifer Rush

I really loved Altered. With only about 330 pages and fast-paced writing, I flew through this book in a night and it made me eager to start the sequel.

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10859509-altered?from_search=true&search_version=service

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Jennifer-Rush/dp/0316197092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430499149&sr=1-1&keywords=altered+jennifer+rush

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

I have seen Ellen Hopkins's books around for years and I've wanted to read a book of her’s for years, but I was always intimidated by her writing style. While it does take a while to get the hang of it, it is really a amazing book.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/270805.Impulse?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Impulse-Ellen-Hopkins/dp/1416903577/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430844318&sr=1-1&keywords=impulse+ellen+hopkins

The fiery heart by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines #4)

At first I had a hard time getting into this because this book is in Duo- Perspectives and that was hard to get used to but once I got through that I flew through it in two hours.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9833184-the-fiery-heart

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fiery-Heart-Bloodlines-Novel/dp/1595146318/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430844434&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fiery+heart

Erased by Jennifer Rush (Altered #2)

I was really excited to read this after Altered and it didn't disappoint.

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17899846-erased

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Erased-Altered-Jennifer-Rush/dp/0316197149/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430924535&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=ereased+jennifer+rush

First Kill by Heather Brewer

Going into this I didn't really have very high expectations because it is middle grade and in the past I could never get into middle grade. But, I was instantly enthralled in this world and read it in one sitting.

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10637510-first-kill?from_search=true&search_version=service

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/First-Slayer-Chronicles-Heather-Brewer/dp/0142421960/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1430924951&sr=8-2&keywords=first+kill

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Anyone that really knows me knows that The Fault in Our Stars is my favorite book. So I was cleaning my room one day and I decided to listen to the audio-book that I bought a couple of months ago and I loved every minute of it.

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars?ac=1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fault-Our-Stars-John-Green/dp/014242417X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430925326&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fault+in+our+stars

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines is the first book in the Vampire Academy spin off series and of course I loved it.

Starred Rating: 4.5 of of 5 stars

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709527-bloodlines?from_search=true&search_version=service

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bloodlines-Richelle-Mead/dp/1595144730/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430925499&sr=1-1&keywords=bloodlines

Champion by Marie Lu

2015-05-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: 3rd and final book in the Legend Trilogy

Source: Amazon.com

Format: Print

Summary

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

Review

First of all, Champion was amazing. It was action-packed, emotional, and it really immersed me in this world.

I wish I could do a full spoiler review but right now I am just too overwhelmed by the feels right now. This is probably one of my favorite series finales. If you couldn't get through Legend or Prodigy for some reason, I urge you to try to push through it because Champion is really worth the read.

What did you think of Champion? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Prodigy by Marie Lu

2015-04-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Legend Trilogy

Source: Amazon.com

Format: Print

Summary

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

Review

Note: This review will contain slight spoilers for Legend as well as Prodigy so go read these wonderful books and then come back and discuss all of the things!

What I liked..... (Besides the obvious, June and Day)

Kaede: We get to see Kaede in this book. I know that some people are a little wary about her but for some reason I love her as a character and I’m glad we got to see her.

The Tunnel Scene: I loved this scene because it shows that Day and June are real people. They pick fights and they have flaws.

What I didn't like....

Tess: I actually loved Tess in Legend but in Prodigy she was just really whiny and desperate to win Day’s heart. I kind of just wish Marie Lu would just kill her off already.

Anden: I can see why people like Anden because he is nice, and I think he really cares about June. I just didn’t like him because Day is obviously a better match for her, and I was just eager to see June and Day be together.

Even though I didn’t love Prodigy as much as Legend, it was still a really great book overall. I forgot to mention in the beginning of this review that it took me two years on and off to read this because I just found a couple of the chapters in the middle to be really boring and I never got around to trying to read it again until now. So if you’re in the place that I was in, I encourage you to fight through it because it is definitely worth the read.

What did you think of Prodigy? Let me know in the comments below!

Page Count: 371 Pages

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy?ac=1

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Legend-Novel-Marie-Lu/dp/0142427551/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429533673&sr=8-1&keywords=prodigy

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Awakening by Shannon Duffy

2015-04-17T10:54:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: First book in a planned series

Source: Sent to me for review from Entangled Teen

Format: Print

Summary

Desiree Six (because she was born on a Friday) believes in everything the Protectorate stands for. She likes the safety and security of having her entire life planned out- her career, her mate, even the date of her death. She doesn't even think to question when Darian, her childhood friend and neighbor, is convicted of murdering his parents. They had seemed like such a loving family. But if he was convicted, then he must have done it.

Then Darian shows up in her room late one night. He has escaped the Terrorscape, a nightmare machine used to punish all Noncompliants, and he needs Desiree's help. What he tells her rocks her world to its core and makes her doubt everything she's ever been told. With this new information, will Desiree and Darian be able to escape the Protectorate before it's too late?

Review

As always, I am hesitant when I start a book by an author whose works I have never read before. Books like this one make me happy that I am still willing to give them a shot, and I’m glad I did because I absolutely loved it.

Desiree was a fantastic character. She was human, she was a teenager, and she acted like one. She was also strong. She had a lot dumped on her, and that really set her back. But she weathered the storm and became a great heroine. When Darian shows up, she doesn't automatically believe what he has to say. However, there have been questions in her head, and she didn't just blow him off. She searched for the truth, and she found it.

Darian was also a great character. I loved him! He loves "Rae", and he is protective of her, but he also knows that she is capable. I loved the flashbacks to their childhood friendship, and I loved the development of their romance.

Awakening truly is a great book. I enjoyed every single minute that I was immersed in this world. Shannon Duffy wrote a story that jumps right off the pages. The world-building was excellent, and the characterization was excellent as well.

Page Count: 352 Pages

Starred Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22514518-awakening

Buy the book:http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Shannon-Duffy/dp/1622665228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429282414&sr=8-1&keywords=shannon+duffy

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

2015-04-01T12:46:00.002-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Book 3 of the Vampire Academy series

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.

Review

My favorite thing about this series is the characters and their layered, complex relationships. It is Rose’s strange combination of toughness and vulnerability that makes her so endearing as a character, besides the fact that she has a lot of really stupid moments. Her relationship with Lissa is really in the spotlight in this book which is good because it’s been a long time coming, considering how Lissa almost takes Rose for granted as a safety net – both in terms of their remarkable bond, as Guardian and Moroi, and in terms of where they stand as best friends. Then there’s the romance with Dimitri, which really skyrockets in this book. Although it certainly seems that Rose acts very immature at times, she has grown a lot in these books and will most likely grow into one of the best heroines in any Young Adult series.

It’s a powerful thing to read, almost brutal in its honesty, especially considering this is a Young Adult novel, and I mean this in the very best way. Everything isn't perfect for Rose which is a great message, especially to younger readers, Bella of the Twilight books being the exact opposite of that, where everything is just tied up in a pretty bow after all of her stupid actions (Sorry Twihards).

Spoilers for Shadow Kiss ahead!

The twist is when Dimitri becomes a Strigoi. Just when Rose and Dimitri can finally be together, it is all taken away.

Part of me thinks it's unnecessary of Mead to turn Dimitri into a Strigoi. But it also really forces Rose to grow up, to become her own person, to leave the school and the protection that she has always had all of her life. I love this book for this particular twist. This series deserves to be the best known 'vampire' series, unlike some others *Cough Twilight Cough*

Page Count:443 Pages

Starred Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Razorbill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2802316-shadow-kiss?from_search=true

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595141979/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=073A9WD32KPXN4W27639&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1970559082&pf_rd_i=desktop

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

Frostbite By Richelle Mead

2015-03-31T14:53:00.002-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Book 2 of the Vampire Academy series

Source: Public Library

Format: Print

Summary

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

Review

This book was intense! I've already come to the conclusion that I'll read anything that Richelle Mead writes. I think that if you're a fan of either of her other two series' you'd also like this one a lot, even though it's a teen series.

This doesn't read like a normal teen series though. There is some of the normal stuff that teens have to deal with; peer pressure, the requisite blond "mean girl," and sexual frustration among other things. The difference here though is that Rose is brave. She doesn't take crap from people. I'm am really starting to get sick of reading about teen girls that let the popular kids do whatever they want to them. Rose doesn't let anyone bully her, but she knows when to pick her fights and when to back down.

This book picks up after the end of the first book. Lissa is still being medicated to keep her dark thoughts away and her powers tamped down. Rose has slowly caught up to the rest of the novices in her studies and is about to take a test that she should have taken the year before. She and Dimitri take a trip to visit another guardian who will administer the test to her. When they get to the house of the guardian and the Moroi that he protects, Rose and Dimitri find everyone dead, killed by Strigoi. They go back to the academy and it's decided that there's safety in numbers. So for Christmas break, everyone goes to a ski lodge together. Unfortunately though, there's another attack on one of the royal families and the guardians and Moroi struggle for an answer for keeping everyone safe.

We meet a couple of new characters in this book, Adrian, who is obviously my favorite. Once everyone gets to the ski lodge, the story really picks up and the ending was pure madness. It was all just really sad and intense.

I loved everything about this book, I can't really find any faults with it. Even though the end was sad, it didn't make me like it any less. This series is already my favorite.

Page Count: 327 Pages

Starred Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Razorbill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2282133.Frostbite

Buy The Book: http://www.amazon.com/Frostbite-Vampire-Academy-Book-2/dp/1595141758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427827964&sr=8-1&keywords=Frostbite

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher (Mini Review)

2015-03-16T11:53:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone

Source: I received this for review from Scholastic

Format: Print

Summary

Ashlee Parker is dead, and Emily Shepherd's dad is accused of the crime. A former soldier suffering from PTSD, he emerges from the woods carrying the girl's broken body. "Gone," he says, then retreats into silence.

What really happened that wild night? Emily knows in her bones that her father is innocent -- isn't he? Before he's convicted, she's got to find out the truth. Does Damon Hilary, Ashlee's charismatic boyfriend, have the answers? Or is he only playing games with her -- the kinds of games that can kill?

Review

First of all, let me say that I loved Lucy Christopher's book Stolen so I was really excited to read this. And when the people at Scholastic accepted my request to receive it I couldn't wait to dive into the story.

Honestly, I was kind of disappointed. I felt like the characters weren't fleshed out enough and therefore I didn't really care about what had happened to them. And the "mystery" of the whole story was just way too predictable. Even though I didn't love this book, I would still recommend it because maybe it's just not for me.

Page Count: 369 Pages

Starred Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Publisher: Scholastic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16207813-the-killing-woods?from_search=true

Buy the Book: http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Woods-Lucy-Christopher/dp/0545461014/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426521092&sr=8-1&keywords=the+killing+woods

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. All opinions are my own.

The Finisher by David Baldacci (Mini Review)

2015-03-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

Stand Alone or Series: Book one out of a planned trilogy

How did I get this book: I received this book from scholastic to review

Format: Print

Summary

Welcome to Wormwood: a place where curiosity is discouraged and no one has ever left.

Until one girl, Vega Jane, discovers a map that suggests a mysterious world beyond the walls. A world with possibilities and creatures beyond her imagining.

But she will be forced to fight for her freedom. And unraveling the truth may cost Vega her life.

Review

When I received this book I was actually excited to read it. But when I picked it up,I was really disappointed. It does has a lot of potential but it was simply just not for me.

Page Count:512 Pages

Starred Rating;2 out of 5 stars

Publisher:Scholastic

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18282060-the-finisher?from_search=true

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Finisher-Vega-Jane-Book/dp/054565226X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425916218&sr=1-1&keywords=the+finisher+david+baldacci

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me, unless other wise stated.All opinions are my own.

The Memory Key by Liana Liu (Mini Review)

2015-03-09T11:48:00.000-04:00

Stand Alone or Series:Stand Alone

Source: I received this ARC from HarperTeen to review

Format:Printed ARC (3/3/15)

Summary

In a five-minutes-into-the-future world, a bereaved daughter must choose between losing memories of her mother to the haze of time and the reality-distorting, visceral pain of complete, perfect recall.

Lora Mint is determined not to forget.

Though her mother’s been dead for five years, Lora struggles to remember every detail about her—most importantly, the specific events that occurred the night she sped off in her car, never to return.

But in a world ravaged by Vergets disease, a viral form of Alzheimer’s, that isn’t easy. Usually Lora is aided by her memory key, a standard-issue chip embedded in her brain that preserves memories just the way a human brain would. Then a minor accident damages Lora’s key, and her memories go haywire. Suddenly Lora remembers a moment from the night of her mother’s disappearance that indicates her death was no accident. Can she trust these formerly forgotten memories? Or is her ability to remember every painful part of her past driving her slowly mad—burying the truth forever?

Review

This book was just Meh for me. I used to be a avid reader of dystopian but personally I have felt like the genre has been going downhill. Everyone is looking for the Next 'Hunger Games' or the next 'Divergent' and sadly this is a failed attempt. While this novel isn't horrible or even bad it just didn't wow me.

Page Count: 368 Pages

Starred Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Publisher:HarperTeen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17697565-the-memory-key?ac=1

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Key-Liana-Liu/dp/0062306642/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425913635&sr=1-1&keywords=the+memory+key+by+liana+liu

This is not a sponsored review unless explicitly stated. All opinions expressed in this review belong to me and all products were purchased by me, unless other wise stated.All opinions are my own.